Tag Archives: Employer

Securing a Tier 2 Sponsorship License and continually ensuring Immigration compliance can be an expensive and time consuming matter. If you are planning to sponsor 10+ workers the time and expense may be worthwhile, however if you need unique skill and experience combinations for shorter periods of time other options may be better. (more…)

The UK Border Agency assigns Tier 2 Licensed Employers a rating based on their compliance with Tier 2 rules and processes. ‘A-Rated’ License Holders have no evidence of abuse and comply with all necessary Tier 2 systems, ‘B-Rated’ License Holders have been found to lack adequate systems to maintain compliance. (more…)

If you secure a Tier 2 Sponsorship License with the UK Border Agency you will be required to meet a number of ongoing Sponsorship Duties. This guide is a summary, and is not a substitute for professional advice. If you do not meet these duties you may find that your license is downgraded or cancelled. (more…)

A Certificate of Sponsorship is the all important electronic document that a Tier 2 Licensed Employer must issue to a prospective migrant in order to allow him or her to gain a Tier 2 General Visa in respect of the company.

An individual cannot apply for a Tier 2 General visa until he or she has been issued with a Certificate of Sponsorship by a prospective employer.

Are you an employer who is considering sponsoring a skilled individual under Tier 2 General? Do you need to discuss your situation with a professional OISC registered immigration advisor? If so call Commonwealth Contractors now on 0800 294 4388 or Submit your Details and we will get right back to you!

What Information does a CoS Include?

Certificates of Sponsorship include basic information about the individual / role and must more detailed information that effectively sets out the basis for the employment and sponsorship.

The following table outlines the basic information associated with the individual and role.

Category

Information

Personal Information

Including;

First Name

Last Name

Nationality

Place of Birth

Country of Birth

Date of Birth

Gender

Country of Residence

Passport Information

Including;

Passport Number

Issue Date

Expiry Date

Place of Issue of Passport

Current Home Address

Including;

Residential Address

City or Town

Postcode

Country

Identification Numbers

Including;

UK ID Card Number

UK National Insurance Number

National ID Card Number

Employee Number

Work Dates

Including;

Start Date

End Date

Total Weekly Hours

Main Work Address

The should include full details of the main work address and also and other regular work addresses

Agent

If the role was sourced through an agent full details must be provided including;

Company Name

Contact Name

Address

City or Town

Postcode

Country

The second part of the CoS includes much more detailed information about the role, whether the individual is working further to a contract and very importantly, the resident labour market test. Information from the second part of the CoS has been set out below.

Category

Information

Job Title

The individual’s full job title should be detailed. Care should be taken to avoid using acronyms

Job Type

You must choose the Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code that most closely matches the job title. Please note that each SOC code has a minimum salary associated with it. You MUST pay the migrant at least the minimum salary as detailed further to the SOC code otherwise there will be issues at audit time.

Summary of Job Description

You should detail the main duties of the role. Where the SOC code has multiple jobs listed under it, you should state which job the salary has been assessed against within that code.

Gross Salary in Sterling

Detail the total gross salary that you will be paying to the individual.

Gross Allowances

Detail any gross allowances that you will be paying to the individual.

Job on a Client Contract

If the job is on a client contract you must tick this box

Summary of Client Contract

Details should be provided of the client contract. This is a free text box so you should simply provide as much relevant information as possible.

Details of the Resident Labour Market Test

You must detail where you advertised the job and the dates each advert ran for. You must also include any reference number for each advertisement, for example a Jobcentre plus vacancy reference number.

Maintenance Confirmation

If you are an ‘A-Rated’ Sponsor you can validate the maintenance requirement in respect an individual. This will make the process of applying easier as the individual will not need to provide at least 90 days bank statements however you do have further legal responsibility.

If you are planning to sponsor a Non EEA worker on a Tier 2 General Visa the chances are that you will first have to complete a Resident Labour Market Test in order to prove that you cannot find any settled workers. (more…)

If a role is listed on the UK Border Agency’s Shortage Occupation list it means that an employer does not need to conduct a resident labour market test and can simply move to assign a Certificate of Sponsorship immediately. (more…)

In order to employ an individual on a Tier 2 General visa you must make sure that the role meets the conditions of the relevant Code of Practice / Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) Code. (more…)

In order to sponsor an individual on a Tier 2 General visa your company must hold a Tier 2 Sponsorship License with the UK Border Agency (UKBA). To gain a license an application must be submitted which shows that you are a genuine organisation with suitable HR systems to ensure Immigration compliance. (more…)